Shadows of Willow Cabin (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

In an attempt to take a break from his monotonous life (and wife), Albert (Bryan Bellomo) invites a potential lover, Devon (John Brodsky), to a weekend getaway at an old family cabin in the woods. Shadows of Willow Cabin follows these two gentlemen as they embark on a journey of horror—tortured by the past. 

Shadows of Willow Cabin doesn’t initially let on its premise. Viewers may deduce, based on the title, that some level of horror will play a role in this film and the development of the aforementioned characters. They’d be right to think that, but that’s not how the film begins. Mystery reigns supreme in this film, as Writer-Director Joe Fria juggles a variety of interconnected storylines, each begging viewers to play along. The quasi-interactive nature of Shadows of Willow Cabin is immensely important to its success—and that tactic remains ever-present throughout. 

Shadows of Willow Cabin forces viewers to repeatedly ask the question: which one of these gentlemen is the problem, and why? Additionally, I feel that there is a level of ambiguity present throughout the entirety of the film—even beyond the reveal of the true problem. Again, Shadows of Willow Cabin is participatory, and providing viewers with a thread that is strewn throughout the entirety of the film allows that truth to remain. 

The ambiguity, the participatory element, the mystery: the writing and direction are certainly important to their existence, but the performances are essential as well. Bellomo and Brodsky are strong performers—though not without fault. An incredible amount is asked of each of the leads. From flirty and romantic to mysterious and daunting—both Bellomo and Brodsky must harness a variety of personas and allow them to resonate with viewers. While I do believe that the majority of the film sees strong performances, there are moments throughout Shadows of Willow Cabin where I felt there were a number of instances in which I was emotionally disconnected. Shadows of Willow Cabin falters at times, falling flat and struggling to reach viewers.

Furthermore, there’s a slight imbalance in terms of the cinematography as well. The cinematography, while intentionally callous and inventive in the early going, becomes overzealous by the film’s conclusion. The constant shifting, the inclusion of Dutch angles (which can be great), and the invasive nature of the cinematography as Shadows of Willow Cabin moves toward its conclusion fracture the narrative rather than making it more dynamic. 

Shadows of Willow Cabin is a film that walks the line between excellence and mediocrity. It manages to step onto either side of the line, creating the potential for balance. However, the moments of superiority feel wildly separate from those on the opposite end of the spectrum, and, rather than creating that aforementioned balance, Shadows of Willow Cabin presents as a bit frumpy instead. With all of that said, however, I firmly believe that this film is entertaining, has cinematic value, and presents viewers with something ultimately compelling which resonates with them long after its conclusion. 

Written & Directed by Joe Fria. 

Starring Bryan Bellomo, John Brodsky, Stan Freitag, Keith Gruchala, Jimmy Ward, etc.

6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE